It was just part of Springsteen’s contribution to the 1980s.
In the beginning
When I started listening to music in 1984, Bruce Springsteen was on the radio with “Dancing in the Dark” and other material from “Born in the USA”.
When I started listening to music in 1984, Bruce Springsteen was on the radio with “Dancing in the Dark” and other material from “Born in the USA”.
I started listening to the radio, and learned a lot about the history and culture of music. Announcers kept referring to this being his biggest hit since “Hungry Heart”. What was that I thought, because I had never heard it.
Then I joined Columbia House, and started regularly flipping through the monthly calendar. One day I saw “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen. What was that, I thought, because I had never heard it. I thought, does Springsteen open all his album titles with “Born…”?
I heard him referred to as “The Boss” and wondered why that was as well.
There was also all this talk about how he finally got married to a woman named Julianne Phillips. I wasn’t sure why that was such huge news.
And I heard Rick Springfield released a song at one point essentially saying, don’t call me Bruce.
There was so much about Bruce Springsteen I didn’t know, but I soon learned.
The years before
Springsteen’s first two albums were “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.” and “The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle”, both released in 1973.
Springsteen’s first two albums were “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.” and “The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle”, both released in 1973.
His third album, released in 1975, was “Born to Run”, which was his breakout album. It featured the title track, which went all the way to number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Darkness on the Edge of Town” followed in 1978, then the “The River” in 1980, which became Springsteen’s first album to top the Billboard 200 album chart. The single “Hungry Heart” peaked at number five, becoming Springsteen’s first top five single on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
“Darkness on the Edge of Town” followed in 1978, then the “The River” in 1980, which became Springsteen’s first album to top the Billboard 200 album chart. The single “Hungry Heart” peaked at number five, becoming Springsteen’s first top five single on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
Springsteen struck out on his own in 1982 with “Nebraska”, but was back together with the E Street Band two years later for the most commercially successful album of their career.
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Bruce Springsteen in 1984. Source: people.com/bruce-springsteen-songwriting-im-on-fire-in-two-minutes-8729328 (May be subject to copyright) |
Springsteen’s next album, “Born in the USA”, released in 1984, is still in the top 25 best-selling albums of all time.
This is where I came upon Springsteen, when I heard the first single off that album. “Dancing in the Dark”, peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his first top five single since “Hungry Heart”. That’s why radio announcers kept bringing up “Hungry Heart”. The video for “Dancing in the Dark” also featured a very young Courtney Cox as a fan who Springsteen brings up on stage to dance with him.
The second single was “Cover Me”, which went all the way to number seven on the charts.
The title track “Born in the USA”, was the third single released and, surprisingly peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. Given its iconic status now, it is surprising it didn’t chart any higher.
My all-time favourite Springsteen song “I’m on Fire” was next. It is a stirring ballad with an amazing video in which Springsteen is a mechanic who almost has an affair with a customer. When I worked at a bar in the early ‘90s, the deejay would play “I’m on Fire” while we set up. I remember dancing and singing that song by myself on the dance floor. “I’m on Fire” peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100.
The fifth single was “Glory Days”, another great song about an old ball player reminiscing about the good old days. It comes with another great video. “Glory Days” went all the way to number five on the charts.
“I’m Goin’ Down” followed, going all the way to number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.
Springsteen’s seventh and final single was “My Hometown”, another soulful ballad that tells a story. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was released in later November of 1985 and had “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” as its “B” side single. It received a lot of airplay at Christmas and for many holiday seasons after that.
By the time “Born in the USA” had finished its run, it had all seven singles hit the Top 10. In 1985, Springsteen won the Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance Male for “Dancing in the Dark” and was nominated for Record of the Year for the song. In 1985 he was nominated for Album of the Year for “Born in the USA” and, in 1986, was nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year for “Born in the USA”.
USA for Africa
Springsteen took some time in 1985 to be part of USA for Africa and their single “We Are The World”, a charity effort raising funs for famine relief in Africa.
Springsteen took some time in 1985 to be part of USA for Africa and their single “We Are The World”, a charity effort raising funs for famine relief in Africa.
His contribution was teaming with Stevie Wonder on the chorus singing “We are the world, we are the children, we are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving, there’s a choice we’re making we’re saving our own lives, it’s true we make a better day just you and me, we are the world, we are the children…”
Box set
It is one of my favourite periods of music – the Fall of 1986. In that period Boston, Bon Jovi, Cyndi Lauper and Bruce Hornsby and the Range all had great music out.
It is one of my favourite periods of music – the Fall of 1986. In that period Boston, Bon Jovi, Cyndi Lauper and Bruce Hornsby and the Range all had great music out.
That’s also when Bruce Springsteen released a box set called “Live/1975-1985”, which featured 40 songs recorded at various concerts between 1975 and 1985. Wikipedia reveals the album broke the record for advance orders and went to number one on the Billboard 200 album chart.
My best friend Chris Vining, was a huge Springsteen fan and not only bought the box set, but played it a lot.
“Live/1975-1985” also had two singles released. “War” went all the way to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Fire” which went to number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Tunnel of Love
Although “Live/1975-1985” had some original releases, the world was still awaiting Sprinsteen’s follow-up album to “Born in the USA”.
Although “Live/1975-1985” had some original releases, the world was still awaiting Sprinsteen’s follow-up album to “Born in the USA”.
It was early in our first year of university, September of 1987. We heard the first single was going to have its world debut. We gathered eagerly to hear it on MuchMusic on 10th Kelsey. The song was called “Brilliant Disguise” and it featured Springsteen looking like he was singing in his kitchen. It peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and was on the album “Tunnel of Love”.
The second single was the title track “Tunnel of Love”, which peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. The third single was one Vining recommended called “One Step Up”, which peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Springsteen won the Grammy in 1988 for Best Rock Vocal Solo Performance for “Tunnel of Love” and was nominated for “Brilliant Disguise” for Best Pop Vocal Performance Male.
The band
Bruce Springsteen had several friends and bandmates in the E Street Band.
Bruce Springsteen had several friends and bandmates in the E Street Band.
Clarence Clemons was the saxophone player who was full of personality. He teamed up with Jackson Browne in 1985 on the song “You’re a Friend of Mine”, reaching number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also played on Aretha Franklin’s 1986 hit “Freeway of Love”.
Steve Van Zandt played lead guitar and was a song writer with the E Street Band. He also created Artists Against Apartheid in 1985. They released the song “Sun City”, where they said they would not play at that resort in a protest against the racist system in South Africa.
Love interest
Much was made about Springsteen being single. Finally, he married virtually unknown actress Julianne Phillips in 1985. It turns out they wouldn’t last long and some of the songs on “Tunnel of Love” were about his unhappiness in his marriage.
Much was made about Springsteen being single. Finally, he married virtually unknown actress Julianne Phillips in 1985. It turns out they wouldn’t last long and some of the songs on “Tunnel of Love” were about his unhappiness in his marriage.
Soon after he separated from Phillips in 1988, he got together with Patti Scialfa, another member of the E Street Band. They were married in 1991, and are still together.
The Boss
Wikipedia reveals Springsteen acquired the nickname “The Boss” during the early 1970s, when he took on the task of collecting his band’s nightly pay and distributing it among his bandmates.
Wikipedia reveals Springsteen acquired the nickname “The Boss” during the early 1970s, when he took on the task of collecting his band’s nightly pay and distributing it among his bandmates.
Not Springfield
Vining also told me about this Rick Springfield song called “Bruce”. It was from 1978, early in Springfield’s career, and he was having fun with being mistaken for Bruce Springsteen. He talks in the song about a woman calling him Bruce during sex; a fan telling him he loves “Born to Run”; and his mom even calling him Bruce.
Vining also told me about this Rick Springfield song called “Bruce”. It was from 1978, early in Springfield’s career, and he was having fun with being mistaken for Bruce Springsteen. He talks in the song about a woman calling him Bruce during sex; a fan telling him he loves “Born to Run”; and his mom even calling him Bruce.
Parting thoughts
Bruce Springsteen keeps on performing to this day. When I first heard “Born in the USA”, it honestly sounded like he was screaming more than singing. Then I listened to the words, and it was awesome.
Bruce Springsteen keeps on performing to this day. When I first heard “Born in the USA”, it honestly sounded like he was screaming more than singing. Then I listened to the words, and it was awesome.
That first impression was definitely wrong, because one of my favourite songs of all time is the beautiful and haunting “I’m On Fire” which is not even close to screaming.
Instead it tells a story, and that’s what I love most about Springsteen’s music – his songs tell great stories.
A few years ago we watched the movie "Blinded by the Light" where two guys in England lived their lives by the words of Springsteen songs. It was like their philosophy of life.
I can see that.
His songwriting is that awesome.
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